Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction, 6/18/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros

Date: Friday, June 18, 2021

Location: Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX

TV: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-105) Houston (-116)

Luis Garcia and the Houston Astros (39-28, 2nd in AL West) host the Chicago White Sox (43-25, 1st in AL Central) at Minute Maid Park on Friday. The Astros open this game at -116 while the White Sox are priced at -105. The total has been set at 8. The expected starting pitchers will be Carlos Rodon and Luis Garcia.

Chicago has a slugging percentage of .407 and have struck out 596 times, while drawing a walk on 261 occasions. They have 314 RBI's in addition to 564 base knocks this year, while their batting average comes in at .255. The White Sox have tallied 111 doubles as a team and have hit 67 baseballs out of the park. They have a total of 341 runs and have an on-base percentage of .340. As a unit, the Chicago White Sox are scoring 5.0 runs per outing, which has them sitting at 5th in MLB.

The White Sox hold a team earned run average of 3.16 on the campaign (3rd in baseball), and the staff has rung up 682 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 190 opposing players and their FIP comes in at 3.50 as a unit this season. Their K/BB ratio is 3.59 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.14. White Sox pitchers have given up 72 long balls in addition to 234 runs in total (2nd in the league).

The White Sox relief pitchers have a save rate of 60.6% and has come into the game in 69 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 96 base runners on the year and 32.3% of them ended up scoring. White Sox bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 58 times in addition to having 66 appearances in high leverage situations. The White Sox have sent 193 relief pitchers to the hill so far this season. The bullpen are sitting with 33 holds on the campaign (12th in baseball). They have compiled 20 saves this year and have not converted 13 of their 33 chances to get a save.

The White Sox have turned 69.9% of balls hit into play into outs in their 5,277 innings on the field, which has them sitting 12th in MLB. The Chicago White Sox have a total of 1,759 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 501 assists and 46 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .980 which puts them in 28th in the majors, and they have turned 463 double plays.

Rodon (35-35 career record) has earned a FIP of 4.06 while facing 2,584 hitters in the major leagues. He has conceded 548 hits (8.2 hits per nine innings) with 248 walks. His earned run average is 3.89 (261 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.319. Rodon has taken the hill for 603 frames and has earned 622 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career.

The Astros hold a team slugging percentage of .452 and they are earning 5.55 runs per outing (1st in MLB). They have hit 135 two-baggers, while taking a walk 234 times as well as putting up 372 runs. Houston has compiled 89 home runs over the course of the season as well as 353 RBIs. They have been rung up on 483 occasions (30th in baseball) and have tallied 640 base knocks. The Houston Astros have tallied an OBP of .345 and a batting average of .275 this season.

The Astros have a team WHIP of 1.188 and have a FIP of 4.29 as a unit for the season. They are sitting at 8th in MLB as a staff in total hits allowed with 493. The Houston pitching staff have given up 279 runs over the course of the season and come in with a team ERA of 3.75 (250 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.69 (592 strikeouts vs 220 free passes). They have conceded 85 dingers and they give up 4.18 runs per 9 innings (12th in baseball).

Houston relief pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 41.4% out of 99 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 69 times in high leverage situations in addition to 62 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 56 save situations, the Astros have compiled 29 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. They are currently ranked 24th in MLB holding a save percentage of 53.8%, and they have dispatched 204 relief pitchers to the hill this year. Houston has called on bullpen pitchers to enter the contest in 26 save opportunities and they have earned 14 saves.

The Houston Astros have turned 51 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .989 (2nd in pro baseball). The Astros have accrued 583 assists, 27 errors and have accounted for 1,802 putouts this season. In their 5,406 innings played, the Astros hold a defensive efficiency of 72.9% (1st in baseball).

So far in his pro baseball career, Garcia has given up 53 base knocks while totaling 81 strikeouts in 75 frames. He has given up a total of 25 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.031 and having a FIP of 3.9. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.24 and he has faced 305 batters in his pro baseball career. Garcia (5-5 career record) has a 2.97 ERA and has conceded 6.3 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Houston (-116)

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